Vape Skins and Wraps – An Inexpensive Way to Pimp Up Your Mod

If you’re anything like me, no amount of safeguarding and vehement oath-taking will save your new mod from getting chipped or bruised relatively quickly. And by oath-taking I mean: ‘I swear to God I’ll never buy a new mod if I drop this one during its first week’. Swear. To, God!

You can imagine how that goes.

Luckily, in the past couple of years, there’s been an influx of vape skins on the market. They are available for every brand under the sun; seriously, Asmodus, Aspire, Dicodes, Innokin, Lost Vape, Tesla, Vaporesso, Wismec – if you can buy the mod today (or was available in the last three years), you can find a custom-made vape skin for it.

So, these days I still go through all the motions when ordering a new mod – weighing my options, chiding myself for being clumsy, swearing I’ll never buy a new one if I ruin this one, and finally dropping the mod when it arrives. However, I don’t get very upset anymore. I dropped a three-day-old Aspire Archon a few weeks back and only banged my head against the wall for two minutes. That evening, I ordered a vape skin for it and allowed myself to forget about the whole thing (well, almost).

What Are Vape Skins Actually?

They are stickers. I know, I know – you’d love them to be something more extravagant or mystical, but that’s the truth of it. Vape skins are made from quality vinyl (at least, those worth buying are) but they are essentially stickers, nonetheless.

Usually, they are pre-cut to match the mod they were designed for. However, there are generic vape skins out there – usually available on eBay – that you need to cut yourself in order to get them to fit on your mod. Of course, these are cheaper but there are no guarantees with them. One wrong move with the scalpel and you can throw them in the trash. You can also order a custom-made skin (if you own a custom mod or want a particular design) by sending the details to the manufacturer – Vapor Skinz offers this service at an affordable price.

Skins from reputable manufacturers (such as Vapor Skinz, Zap Wrap, or J Wraps) will come with a cardboard backing. You just need to peel them off and follow the manufacturer’s instruction on how to apply them to your device.

In addition to mod skins, you can also order custom battery wraps in case you want your batteries to stand out in a crowd, as well.

Vape Skins Are Decorative, Not Protective

It’s important to note here that vape skins are not vape sleeves. Vape sleeves are made from rubber or silicone and they offer more in terms of protection. Being thick and rubberized, vape sleeves will protect your device from breakage, bruises, and paint chips. Unfortunately, they will also cover it completely so your fellow vapers will not be aware that you're sporting the newest toy in the neighborhood.

If you’re looking to protect your latest investment (which, in retrospect, I really should be doing, all things considered), then buying a vape sleeve is a smart move. However, if you just want to breathe new life into an old mod, or if you want to cover up your clumsiness, vape skins are the way to go.

Some vape mod manufacturers kept their ear to the ground and decided to offer vapers a way to customize their mods. One of them is Limitless. Limitless Box Mod features interchangeable plates that allow you to change its appearance on a whim. They are magnetized so you just remove the standard ones that come with it and pop on the new ones. Obviously, you have to buy them first and they will cost you anywhere between $15 and $25, depending on the design.

How To Apply a Vape Skin?

Applying a skin to your device is relatively easy, especially if it’s pre-cut. Most sellers will send instructions along with the skin, so even if you’re a total newbie when it comes to it, assistance will be available.

Since most of those instructions are the same, I’ll run through them here:

Make sure your hands are clean (dirt and oils can interfere with the process so wash your hands for best results).

Clean your device as well. If there’s any dirt on it, the adhesive will not take or you will be faced with a problem of air bubbles.

Remove the skin from the backing paper, making sure not bend it.

Apply the skin to your mod. Tackle the side with buttons first, making sure it’s properly aligned and then work your way from there.

Run your fingers up and down the skin to push out air. Do the same for all the pieces.

Let your mod rest for a bit for the adhesive to really take. Avoid putting it into your pocket for at least 24 hours, otherwise, all your hard work might be for nothing.

Some ‘harder’ stickers (such as vinyls with a textured wood feel) might need a bit more work because they don’t bend easily. For them, use a hair dryer on the lowest setting and heat up the vinyl as you’re applying it (keeping it 6 – 8 inches from the cut out). This will help you shape the skin and apply it more easily.

Types of Vape Skins

In terms of design, there’s really a lot out there. From floral designs to designs inspired by the popular culture, so you will definitely find something for your mod. Again, if you don’t, you can simply send in your design and have it custom-made for you.

In terms of finishes, there are also a couple of choices you can opt for:

Matte finish – a non-glossy, non-textured finish that will help with slippage.

Glow in the dark finish – treated with light-emitting colors that glow in the dark.

As you can tell, there’s quite a lot on the market. You just need to decide on your preferred finish and pick a design, and you will be ready to transform your old mod into a stylish new piece of art.

Are Vape Skins Worth the Money?

This is going to depend on the type of vaper you are, or whether or not you have an eye for aesthetics. For me, they are a sound investment, albeit not a cheap one. A quality vape skin will cost you between $15 and $25, depending on the design and the material.

In the end, it comes down to how much you want to spend on your long-in-the-tooth vape equipment. If you want it to still catch the eye of your fellow vapers, a vape skin or two every couple of months won’t bother you much. If you’re unphased by those sort of things, you can probably go without them. Still, it’s sometimes nice to treat yourself to something without breaking the bank and ordering a new mod. These skins are a perfect pacifier for those itchy vape mail fingers.